A vehicle may include a passive occupant restraints, including airbags and air curtains. One type of passive occupant restraint is a side air curtain, which is mounted to a frame of the vehicle above a passenger compartment. Specifically, the vehicle may include a headliner above the passenger compartment, and the side air curtain may be mounted above the headliner. When a vehicle impact is sensed, the side air curtain may be inflated. When inflated, the side air curtain extends downwardly from the headliner and may extend along doors and/or side pillars of the vehicle to cushion impact between an occupant and the doors and/or side pillars.
The side air curtain is inflated rapidly in response to a vehicle impact. During this rapid inflation, the side air curtain may forcefully contact and/or rub against other components of the vehicle, e.g., the frame of the vehicle. The frame may include pointed edges, burrs, etc. For example, in a frame that is formed of aluminum, the components of the frame may be connected, at least in part, with fasteners, such as flow drill screws, which may include pointed ends. As another example, in a frame that is formed of steel, the components of the frame may be connected, at least in part, by welding, which may form burrs.
Additionally, the design of the side air curtain is subject to several logistical constraints, such as packaging constraints, manufacturing constraints, vehicle assembly constraints, cost constraints, etc.
There remains an opportunity to design a side air curtain assembly that satisfies these logistical constraints while minimizing contact with pointed edges, burrs, etc., on the vehicle frame.